Gliding courses

The best way to discover the delights and challenges of gliding at Sutton Bank is to spend time with us on one of our gliding courses and take the opportunity to sample the sport in more detail. We run three and five day courses during the summer season. Alternatively, if your time is at a premium, why not join us for a one-day course.

Our dedicated staff and a fleet of modern gliders and tug aircraft await you!

Gliding courses

These are available between May and September. During your time with us we aim to cover a wide range of gliding activity which, dependent on weather conditions, might include:

Demonstrations and tuition in the fundementals of gliding

Launches by winch and aerotow

Hill and thermal soaring

A short cross-country flight

An introduction to basic aerobatics

Pupil instructor ratio 2:1

Flying tuition

You will fly in our modern fleet of two-seater gliders, with instruction from our qualified instructors. In addition, the club also operates a self-launching motor glider which may be used if there are weather or operational constraints on the use of gliders. This is, in effect, a light aeroplane which, having gained the required height, can be used as a glider by idling or switching off the engine.

The course and beyond

The number of students on a course is restricted to four and you will have dedicated course instructors and a glider to maximise continuity and minimise waiting.
By the end of the week you will have experienced much of the fascination of gliding and may understand why so many pilots believe that gliding presents the purest and most rewarding form of flight. If you would like to continue towards going solo and beyond we will advise on how this can be achieved, and we will be pleased to welcome you into full membership the club.

The cost of your course includes three months' membership of the Club so that you may return to Sutton Bank and fly as a member during that time.

If you choose to become a full Club member during the course, you'll receive a massive 50% discount on the annual membership fee.

Accommodation and Catering

Accommodation is available on site, and consists of simple bedrooms with washing facilities. Showers are available but are not en-suite.

The cost of accommodation is £11.00 per night. Sheets etc. are another £7.

Meals are also available in the club's cafe with a traditional cooked breakfast, light lunch and a hearty meal at the end of the day.

Vegetarians are welcome and any other dietary requests will be catered to.

The licensed bar opens in the evening, after flying has finished and all of the gliders are safely packed in the hangar.

Tailored courses

Like the majority of our visitors you may be trying gliding for the first time. However, if you have flown gliders before and wish to renew or build on your skills we are more than happy to tailor your course to achieve this. Please let us know about this at the time of booking.

Costs

The cost per day for courses is £50 per day, we run 3 day, 4 day and 5 day courses, included in this is 3 months' temporary membership of the YGC. Flights and launches are charged at club member rates. This cost varies depending on how much you fly, which in turn can be influenced by weather conditions during the week. On average allow around £400.

2019 Course Dates

10-14th June

23rd-26th July

2nd-6th September

16th-20th September

Booking

Please download the application form below, complete and e-mail it to us, then call the office on 01845 597237 if you wish to pay by credit or debit card. Alternatively, you can send your completed form by post to: The Yorkshire Gliding Club, Sutton Bank, Thirsk, North Yorkshire, YO7 2EY.